Development of gastric slow waves in preterm infants measured by electrogastrography

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental process of gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA) in preterm infants. Nineteen healthy preterm infants were studied. GMA was recorded using surface electrogastrography, and six follow-up studies were performed in each subject. Spectral analysis methods were applied to compute the parameters of the electrogastrogram (EGG). The results showed that there was a developmental process of GMA with age during the first 6 mo of life. 1) The percentage of normal slow waves showed a progressive increase after birth (36.7 ± 6.1, 37.8 ± 6.2, 47.0 ± 10.0, 52.2 ± 12.2, 55.2 ± 9.7, and 65.8 ± 13.5% at 1 and 2 wk and 1, 2, 4, and 6 mo, respectively); 2) there was a significant postprandial increase in the percentage of normal slow waves during the first 2 mo after birth; and 3) the percentages of normal slow waves for different gestation ages were not statistically significant. In conclusion, the percentage of normal slow waves is low at birth and there is a developmental process that may be stimulated by enteral feeding.

Electrogastrography: Methodology, Validation and Applications

“…One such application is studying the developmental process of gastric slow waves in newborns 52. A progressive increase in the percentage of normal gastric slow waves was noted during the first 6 months after birth in 19 preterm infants.…”

Gastric electrical activity in normal neonates during the first year of life: effect of feeding with breast milk and formula

“…motor complexes, 13-15 the absence of normal slow waves at birth, and a maturation process modulated by enteral feeding. [16][17][18] Human milk is the ideal food for healthy infants born at term, and an exclusive diet of human milk is thought to meet the infant's nutrient requirement during its first 4-6 months of life. In addition, the milk of mammals contains a range of trophic factors, hormones, and other active substances that may exert growth-modulating effects on the gastrointestinal mucosa 19,20 and the nervous system.…”

Myoelectrical activity of the stomach after surgical correction of esophageal atresia

“…After a further postnatal developmental process of gastric myoelectrical activity during the first 6 months of life [5], the dominance of 2-to 4 -cycle per minute (CPM) bslow wavesQ is characteristic of the healthy gastric function in infants. The shift of dominant frequencies of electrogastrography (EGG) waves toward the slower frequency (0-2 CPM) is defined as bradygastria, whereas toward the more frequent waves (4-10 CPM) is called tachygastria.…”